World Cup Roundup (June 13): Dutch dazzles in rout of Spain

Associated PressPublished: June 14, 2014 4:00AM

Group B

Netherlands 5, Spain 1

SALVADOR, Brazil -- The Netherlands tore Spain apart in a dominant second half performance to thrash the defending World Cup champion 5-1 on Friday and gain a measure of revenge for its 2010 World Cup final loss to Vicente Del Bosque's team.

Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben both scored twice and defender Stefan de Vrij grabbed his first international goal in a humiliating defeat for a Spain team that has won its last three major tournaments.

Spain tumbled to its second consecutive loss in the opening match of a World Cup and its heaviest defeat in the game's showcase tournament since capitulating 6-1 to Brazil in 1950.

Group B

Chile 3, Australia 1

CUIABA, Brazil -- Alexis Sanchez produced a dynamic performance to lead Chile to a 3-1 win over Australia in the World Cup on Friday, scoring one goal and setting up another for one of the dangerous outsiders in the tournament.

Chile threatened to run away with the game in muggy Cuiaba when Sanchez poked home from close range in the 12th minute before setting up Jorge Valdivia barely a minute later for the playmaker to finish from the edge of the area.

But Australia recovered well, responding with a trademark headed goal by star forward Tim Cahill in the 35th and giving the Chileans a string of scares in the second half. However, Jean Beausejour put the game away for Chile in injury time.

Chile is level on three points in Group B with the Netherlands, which thrashed Spain 5-1 earlier Friday.

Group A

Mexico 1, Cameroon 0

NATAL, Brazil -- Oribe Peralta scored in the second half to help Mexico to a 1-0 victory over Cameroon in torrential rain Friday, earning El Tri their first World Cup win over an African team and giving them a crucial three points in Group A.